Storage and feed apparatus



July 21, 1959 J. M. CLARK 2,895,625

STORAGE AND FEED APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001:. 29. 1954 'INVENTOR."

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July 21, 1959 J. D'A. CLARK 2,395,625

STORAGE AND FEED APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1954 ZNVENTOR.

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July 21, 1959 J. D'A. CLARK STORAGE AND FEED APPARATUS Filed Oct. 29, 1954 :5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 JNVENTOR. A

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-but it is uncertain and often Unite STORAGE AND FEED APPARATUS Qlanr'es DA. Clark, Longview, Wash, assignor to Changewood Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois 7 Application October 29, 1954, Serial No. 465,697 13 Claims. (Cl. 214-47) The characteristics of numerous materials change from source to source, from time to time, and from species to .species where the material may comprise more than .one species. Particularly is this true of fibrous materials and especially those of natural origin such as wood fibers and chips. In the latter instance, moisture content, for

example, will vary considerably with species, source, age, 7

.etc.,, of the wood.

in the conventional wet process for the manufacture of paper or boards, the pulped or otherwise prepared ifibrous material, is diluted with water, and put into one or more large vats or .chests which usually hqldseveral ithousand pounds (dry basis) of material in the form of .a slurry. Agitators are provided to keep the material well mixed so that fluctuations in the quality of incoming 'sbatches or streams of the materials, suchfluctuations'being inherent in fibrous materials of natural origin, are leyelled =out. Furthermore, in wet systems, fluctuations in (the :moisture content of the materials are of little or no con- ;sequence. On the other hand, when dry or damp fibrous :materials are to be stored, miXQd, and then fed at a :uniform rate, hitherto unsolved problems have arisen in providing a uniform feed 7 nce 1t 1s usually impossible to stir them without damage, and as far as is known, impracticable to mix together sufficiently large batches of dry or damp fibrous materials to smooth out fluctuaitionsin their quality or moisture content The problems ;are increased if make-up materials are continuous y C intermittently added to the large batch instorage, as is @desirable in a continuous process.

By providing skilled personnel and adequate and extensive facilities for inspection, segregation, stoifage .and supply, to some be possible to minimize :rapid fluctuations in the raw materials, :such as may be occasioned by changes in ,the species :of the fibers or the wood or its age or source. However, Zbecause each lot may have a varying moisture content, (either inherent or brought about in the process, it is practically impossible to control comparatively rapid e tenti a the quality of fluctuations in the moisture content of the stream of elements fed from storage to a point of use.

Attempts have been made to minimize the variations in the moisture content -of tho elements by drying the -material to a predetermined, uniform, low moisture "content and then controlling the stream with a gravirnetric feeder, but this procedure is not only expensive,

felting apparatus or other States Patent ics from the elements for this purpose has an undesirable effect on quality. For example, in many vdry processes it is desirable to consolidate the fibrous materials into a structure with an initial content of about 15% of moisture; the moisture acting as a plasticiser. If the material were dried down sufficiently so as to have a reproducible low basis (5% or less) for metering, then not only would the material have to be'rewetted to 15 but the added moisture would not be as effective as the original because of its poor distribution and particularly because of moisture hysteresis or the irreversible hornification effect of drying on most cellulose materials.

Largely because of a deficiency of intermediate storage and mixing of dry or damp fibrous elements, rapid fluctuations in the moisture content and quality of the stream of fibrous elements going to the web forming means, has hitherto been a serious disadvantage of the dry over the conventional wet forming process. As a result, most vwebs of dry felted structures, such as boards, vary considerably more in basis weight and in quality along their lengths if dry felted, than if prepared wet by a good Fourdrinier or cylinder papermaking machine installation.

There has long been a need for a means for storing and feeding from storage damp or relatively dry materials so that the characteristics and quality of the feed remain relatively constant or uniform irrespective of .intermittency in its production at fluctuating changes in the nature .or condition of the stored material, and it is accordingly an object of this invention to provide such a means. It is another object' of this "invention to provide means for furnishing a continuous supply" ofdarnp or relatively dry raw materials that in characteristic and quality, and particulaly the moisture content thereof,

represent the characteristics and qualities and moisture content of a succession of variable batches of such materials whereby rapid variations or fluctuations in the characteristics, qualities and moisture contents of the supply from time to time are greatly minimized. Still another object is to provide means for holding a large volume of fibrous elements or similar materials in storage, to provide means for adding streams or batches of fibrous elements thereto, and to provide means for withdrawing from storage a continuous stream of fibrous elements that are representative of all of the fibrous elements then held in storage. Yet another object is to provide means as described wherein the characteristics and quality of the material taken from storage are representative of all of the contents held in storage and wherein that result is accomplished without the necessity of stirring or otherwise mixing the entire bulk of the stored materials or elements to provide a relatively uniform admixture thereof.

A .further object of the invention is to provide apparatus in which a relatively large bin is equipped with means for depositing fibrous and other materials in a uniform manner about the interior of the bin and in which a vertically disposed elevator is provided within the bin for lifting portions of the stored material therefrom in preparation of depositing such material in appropriate discharge apparatus. Still a further object is to provide apparatus for storing and discharging fibrous materials in which a large rotatable bin is equipped with a dispersing conveyor that is rotatable relative to the bin and that is adapted to discharge fibrous materials uniformly about the interior of the bin, a bucket equipped elevator being provided within the bin for raising representative samples the-removal of the moisture of the materials stored within the bin. Yet a further object is to provide in apparatus as described means for advancing the bin rotatably relative to the elevator whenever additionalmaterial for lifting is required by the eler, vator. Additional objects and advantages will appear as the specifiction proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: I Figure lis a broken top plan view of apparatuse'mbodyirig my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section view taken through substantially the center of the apparatus as is indicatedby the line 2-2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a longitudinal. sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1;. Fig- 5 is an enlarged detail view showing the support arrangement for the apparatus; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken detail view in section showing the support rail for the apparatus. v

Illustrated best iuFigs. 1 and 2 is a relatively large bin that is designated generally with the numeral 10 and that comprises. a bottom Wall 11 and a side wall 12 rising upwardly therefrom. Preferably the bin 10 is large and provides 'a deep storage chamber or compartment 13 therein. For example, the bin may be sufficiently large soas to hold from thirty to sixty tons of wood chips. The bottom wall 11 of the bin may be formed of any suitable material and in the illustration given comprises a plurality. of tongue and groove boards or planks 14 having the upper surface thereof covered with a metal sheet 15. ,The floor 11 may be supported by a plurality of radially extending beams 16 that at their outer ends are joined together by, cross beams 17. The members 16 and17 maybe metal I-beams of well known character and should have sufficient strength so as to adequately sup port the bin 10 and other structure associated therewith that will be subs'equently described together with the material that may be stored within the chamber 13. The

bin is preferably annular and may be equipped intermediate thetop and bottom thereof with an annular reinforcing rim 18 and at the top with an annular reinforcing flange or rim 19. I Y

The storage chamber 13 is generally in the shape of an annular trough and has the central opening 20 therethrough that is defined 'by a sleeve or circular wall 21. As is seenbest in Fig. 2, the sleeve or wall 21 rests upon the I-beams '16 and an angle member 22 is rigidly secured' to the wall and to the beams so as to rigidly secure the sleeve to thebeams. The sleeve 21 may be reinforced intermediate the ends thereof with an inwardly extending rib member 23 and at the top with an inwardly extending circular L -shaped channel member 24. A V

' In the specific illustration given, the bin 10 is rotatably supported about ayertical axis defined by the standard :25. At its lower end the standard is enlarged at 26 and is rigidly secured to a bearing plate 27 adapted to be supported on the ground or by some other support floor. The bearing plate 27 is equipped with a race 28 cooperating with a plurality of bearing members 29 that permits free rotation of the race 28 relative to the plate 27.

Rigidly secured to the race 28 is an upwardly extending circular collar 30 that provides the inner support member for the I beams 16 that ,are rigidly secured thereto. It is apparent that the'I-beams 16and bin 10 supported thereon are rotatable about the standard 25.

To permit stabilized rotation of the bin 10 the outer edge po'rtionfthereof' is' supported by means permitting free rotationthereof. The structure acco'mplishingthis result is seen best in Figs. 2 and 6. The structure comprises a circular rail 31 that is adapted to be supported upon a fioor or ground level at the same elevation as the plate 27. The bin is equipped with a plurality of wheels 32 thatare adapted to ride along the rail 31. The wheels '32 are rotatably supported upon an axle 33 equipped with bearings 34. The axle 33 is secured at its ends to an outer dependingskiit or support member 35 rigidlysecured to the wall12 of thebin, and at its other end itis secured to a U-shaped' channel member 36 that in turn is carried by a depending T-shaped bracket 37 secured to the bottom wall '11 of the bin. The wheels 32 ride .;portion of the standard 25. by abearing 63 in which the shaft is rotatable and that is supported by achannel beam "'69 n I w as is seen best in Fig. 1. I pprted between the spacedalong the track 31 and thereby support the outer edge portion of the bin for rotation.

About the bottom edge 'of the bin, and secured to the depending skirt 35, is an L-shaped member 38 having a base leg 39 equipped with a plurality of openings or apertures 40 therethrough that are oriented about the base leg in spaced-apart relation. The bin is rotated in step by step relation through the drive assembly that is illustrated best in Fig. 4. This assembly comprises a plurality of pawls' 41 pivotally carried by a finger 42 secured to a rod 43 that is slideable through a bearing 44 which may be provided as an integral portion of pivot member 48. One end of the rod 43 is pivotally connected through a link '45 'to 'a lever arm 46 that is pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof between the spaced walls 47 of a bifurcated pivot member 48. The lever 46 is pivotally connected to the bifurcated end portion 49 of a plunger 50 mounted for reciprocation within a cylinder '51. As is shown most clearly in Fig. l, the cylinder .51 is pivotally supported at its rear end, g sh-own at 52 upon a support plate 53 extending anjgu'larly outwardly from the bin 10 and oriented with gresp'e'cfthereto 'so as to provide a line of movement for the pawls 41 that is substantially tangent to the annular bfin. Thecylind'er 51 is fluid actuated and the piston [thereof bereciprocate'd by hydraulic fluid supplied from a cameraman source that is not shown. The rotational movement of the bin 10 'is related to other "structure in the apparatus and the specific relationship 'will befidesc'ribed hereinafter.

H bin '10 is adapted to receive in the chamber 13 f tlier eof material thatis designated generally with the 54'. The compartment '13 is adapted to receive andstoreany.of a varietyofinaterials and, for example, the material 54 may be fibrous and even more specifically may comprise wood chips. The material 54 is fed iinto the compartment 13 and is distributed relatively uniformly'thereabout by a conveyor assembly'that is designated generally with the numeral 55 and that is gen best in Figs. 1 and 2. This feeder apparatus will by amotor assembly 61 rigidly secured to a sleeve 62 that surrounds'a portion of the shaft 56 and the upper The shaft 56 is stabilized 64 through which the extends. Rigidly secured to' shaft 56 adjacent the upper end thereof, is a supp'ort 65 equipped on each side thereof outwardly extending flanges 66 that are secured to spaced-apart arms 67' that at their outer ends carry a counterweight 68.

H Secured to the arms 67 and extending outwardly therefrom andalong'the longitudinal axis thereof is a carrier th t has an extension 70 formed by a U-shaped bracket A roller 71' is rotatably suparms of the bracket 70 and hasentrained :thereabout an endless conveyor belt'72.

Adjacent its other end, the conveyor belt 72' passes 65.

be tween the spaced arms 67. The axle of the driven around a driven roller 73 that is rotatably supported roller 73 is-equipped with a sprocket wheel 74 having entrained thereabout adrive chain 75 thatis driven by a drive sprocket 76 through a gear reducer 77 that in turnis driven by a motor '78. Actuation of the motor 78 drives the endless conveyor 72.

Material isfed onto the conveyor belt 72 through a 1 hopper 79' that has pro ecting outwardly therefrom along the path of the conveyor belt 72 and spaced adjacent thereto a pair -of channel or guide walls 80. The walls 80 serve to confine the material upon the conveyor belt 72 and should have a length sufiicient to extend beyond the sleeve 21. A pair of spaced-apart U-shaped' supports 81 and 82 are rigidly secured to the member 69 and carry respectively scrapers 83 and 84 that extend transversely and angularly across the belt 72. As is seen in Fig. 2, the scraper 83 extends a short distance across the belt 72, while the scraper 84 extends a greater distance across the belt but not all of the way. With this arrangement, material fed onto the endless conveyor belt 72 through the hopper 79 is confined to the belt by the guide walls 80 and as the material engages the scraper 83, a portion thereof is guided off of the belt and downwardly and into the chamber 13 of the bin. The second scraper 84 also serves to guide a portion of the material from the belt and into the bin and whatever material remains on the belt is discharged therefrom as the belt passes over the roller 71. It will be appreciated that when the motor 61 is energized along with the motor 78, the conveyor belt 72 will be operative to discharge material therefrom and into the chamber 13 substantially uniformly across the width thereof while the rotation of the feed conveyor assembly 55 will cause the material to be discharged relatively uniformly about the entire interior of the chamber 13.

An elevator apparatus designated generally in Figs. 1 and 3 with the numeral 85 is used to lift material 54 from the bin 10. The elevator apparatus is supported on a pair of spaced-apart arms 86 and 87 that at their inner end portions are rigidly secured to the vertical standard 25 by means of the sleeve 62. The outer end portions of the arms 86 and 87 are interconnected through the brace members 88 and 89 that in turn are supported upon a post 90 that extends vertically upwardly to the arms and that at its lower end is adapted to be supported on a floor or upon the ground. Rigidly secured to the arms 86 and 87 and extending upwardly therefrom are a pair of spaced-apart bearing supports 91 and 92 that rotatably support a drive shaft 93 therein. The drive shaft 93 is adapted to be rotatably driven by a suitable drive motor that is not shown. Pivotally supported upon the rotatable shaft 93 are a pair of spacedapart collar bearings 94 and 95 that have extending therebetween a hanger 96. The hanger 96 and collar members 94 and 95 are freely pivotal about the rotatable shaft 93. Locked upon the'shaft 93 in spaced-apart relation are the drive sprockets 97 that have an endless elevator belt 98 entrained thereabout. Rotation of the shaft 93 drives the sprockets 97 and they in turn drive the endless elevator belt 98.

Rigidly secured to the hanger 96 and extending downwardly therefrom is a plate 99 that at its lower end is secured to a vertically extending post 100 that carries a support bracket 101 at its lower end. The member 101 provides a rotatable mounting for a shaft 102 that carries a pair of spaced-apart sprocket wheels 103 that are in alignment respectively with the drive sprockets 97. The endless elevator 98 is entrained about the lower sprocket wheels 103. The endless elevator carrier 98 is equipped with a plurality of rakes or buckets 104, each of which provides a base wall 105 that lies along the plane of the carrier 98, a relatively long outwardly and angularly extending wall 106 that forms a generally V-shaped angle with the base 105, and a relatively short outwardly extending wall 107 that is substantially parallel to the wall 106. The carriers of lift buckets 104 are adapted to pick up material within the bin as the elevator carrier 98 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. I

Extending over the upper end portion of the elevator is a canopy 108 that, together with the angularly extending end portion 109 of a shield member 110 that extends downwardly and in parallel relation with the endless carrier 98 of the elevator, forms a chute into which material is dumped by the buckets or rakes 104 as they pass over the upper sprocket wheels 97. A discharge Colic" veyor 111, seen in Fig. l, is mounted in the bottom of the chute 112 formed by the canopy 108 and is adapted to receive the material ejected by the buckets 104 and carry the same to a discharge point. The endless belt or conveyor 111 is entrained at its inner end about a drive roller 113 and at its outer end will similarly be entrained about a suitableroller that is not shown. It will be apparent that drive means will be provided for driving the endless conveyor belt 111. The canopy 108 and the chute formed in part thereby is adapted to confine material ejected by the carriers 104 and direct the same onto the belt 111.

It is apparent from Fig. 3 that the elevator assembly is adapted to swing about the pivotal axis provided by the drive shaft 93 between the positionshown by full lines and the one shown by dotted lines and that is designated with the numeral 85a. When the .elevator assembly is swung to the right and into the position shown by, the dotted lines 85a, a switch 114 carried by the arm 87 is adapted to be tripped. The switch 114 is arranged in an appropriate control circuit with the cylinder 51 through a solenoid valve or comparable control, and through control of the cylinder 51 provides controlled rotation of the bin 10.

Operation In operation of the apparatus material is fed by appro priate means into the hopper 79, and upon actuation of the motor 78 and the motor 61 that material is spread uniformly about the interior of the compartment 13. It will be apparent that manual controls may be provided for initiating actuation of the motor 61 or 78, or alternatively automatic means may be provided to actuate these motors when material is being fed into the hopper. The endless conveyor belt 72 is operative to spread the material uniformly across the width of the compartment 13, while rotation of the feed conveyor assembly 55 causes the material to be spread throughout the entire area of the compartment. Material may be fed into the hopper 79 continuously or intermittently.

The motor drive for the elevator is then actuated and the drive shaft 93 will then be rotated. Rotation of the shaft will bring about rotation of the drive-sprocket 97 and movement of the elevator carrier 98 which is entrained about the sprocket wheels. The buckets or rakes 104 will pick up the material stored within the bin 10 and the material will be dumped from the buckets and onto the discharge conveyor 111 as the buckets pass over the upper sprockets 97. The conveyor 111 is operative to carry the material to a point of use which, for example, may be a felting head that provides fiber matrices that may be subsequently consolidated by the application of heat andpressure into pressed boards.

It is noted that the elevator apparatus 85 is free to pivot about the axis provided by the drive shaft 93. Thus, the elevator can swing between the two positions shown in Fig. 3 and that are designated with the numerals 85 and 85a. This swinging or pivotal movement of the elevator apparatus is operative through the control switch 114 and appropriate circuitry that will be associated therewith and the power cylinder 51 to rotate the bin 10. The operation of these parts is such that when the elevator is in the position shown by the full lines in Fig. 3, the power cylinder 51 will be actuated and through the linkage previously described will push the rod 43 forwardly and thereby the pawls 41 that are connected thereto, and upon return movement of the plunger 50, one of the pawls 41 will be received within an aperture 40 provided by the flange or L-shaped member 39 and the bin will thereby be rotated by an amount equal to the length of the plunger movement after the pawl has been engaged.

It is noted in Fig. 1 that the bin 10 rotates in a counterclockwise direction so that upon the stepped movement of the bin the material 54 carried thereby will be forced into contact with the elevator assembly 85 on the left side thereof as the elevator is viewed in Fig. 3 and as indicated there by the arrows. Engagement between the elevator assembly and the substantially solid wall of material 54 within the bin will, of course, force the pivotally mounted elevator assembly to the right. The bin will continue to be advanced in step by step relation and the elevator assembly will continue to be pivoted to the right by engagement thereof with the material 54 until the switch 114 is tripped. When the switch is tripped, the power cylinder 51 will be de-energized and rotation of the bin will terminate. In this manner, a ready supply of material 54 is always presented for the buckets 104 and as the carrier belt 98 is driven the buckets will operate to elevate material from the chamber 13 and thereafter deposit it upon the discharge conveyor 111.

As the elevator continues to operate and to remove material from the bin, the elevator assembly will automatically swing to the left or toward a vertical position. When a generally vertical position is again assumed by the elevator assembly, the switch 114 will be released and the circuit controlling the hydraulic flow to the cylinder 51 will be re-established and the bin will again be advanced in step by step relation to repeat the cycle previously described.

It is believed that it will now be apparent that the operation of the feed conveyor assembly 55 is such that a relatively uniform distribution of material is spread about the chamber 13. At the same time, the material that may be removed continuously from the storage bin is a representative sample of all of the material stored within the bin for the elevator operates to withdraw the material along the cross-section or vertical wall thereof. Thus, portions of the material fed onto the discharge conveyor are at all times being taken from various elevations or from various strata within the chamber 13. As a result, even though there may be relatively rapid fluctuations in the quality, moisture content, and other characteristics of the material fed into the storage bin, the uniform distribution of that material about the bin and the withdrawal of the material from all strata thereof will insure relatively uniform quality and characteristics in the material being discharged on the conveyor 111. Assuming the worst possible conditions, whatever changes may occur in the quality and characteristics of the material discharged from the bin will be slow changes or fluctuations and the operator of the apparatus that will ultimately use such material is thereby able to adjust the apparatus to compensate for such small changes in the material.

While in the foregoing specification a preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is subject to other embodiments and that the details described may be varied considerably without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. In storage and feeder apparatus of the character described, a relatively deep annular bin supported for rotational movement and providing a large storage chamber therein, spreader means for depositing material relatively uniformly around said chamber, a discharge elevator supported within said chamber for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis extending radially across said bin, said elevator being equipped with a plurality of elements adapted to raise material from said chamber and to discharge the material at an elevation above the bin, said elevator being normally in a generally vertical position within said chamber and being swingable laterally from that position by the force of the material within the bin pushing thereagainst, and power means for rotating said bin in a step by step 8 pattern in response to the swinging of said elevator into a predetermined position within said chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said spreader means comprises a dispersing conveyor extending generally across said bin and being provided with a plurality of discharge points therealong, said dispersing conveyor being supported for rotation relative to said bin for uniformly discharging material into said chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which a disccharge conveyor is provided adjacent the upper end of said elevator for receiving material therefrom and for carrying the same outwardly from said bin.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a relatively large annular bin providing a deep storage chamber therein, means for supporting said bin for rotary movement about a generally vertical axis through said chamber, a spreader conveyor adapted to receive material thereon, means for rotating said spreader conveyor relative to said bin so that material discharged by the conveyor will be spread relatively uniformly around said chamber, an elevator pivotally supported upon an axis extending radially across said chamber and at an elevation above the top of said bin, said elevator extending downwardly into said chamber and being pivotal about said axis generally along the path of movement of said bin, said elevator being operative to lift material from said chamber and to discharge the material at an elevation above said bin, discharge means for receiving material from said elevator and for moving it outwardly from said bin, power means for rotating said bin in progressive steps relative to said elevator, and control means operatively arranged with said last mentioned means and with said elevator for energizing said last mentioned means to rotate said bin when said elevator is swung to a predetermined position within said chamber about said axis.

5. The structure of claim 4 in which said means for rotating said bin comprises a power cylinder equipped with a plunger, a member connected to said plunger, and at least one pawl arranged with said member and being arranged to interlock with apertures provided by said bin, movement of said plunger within said cylinder being operative to rotate said bin through a predetermined distance.

6. The structure of claim 4 in which said elevator is equipped with a plurality of spaced-apart receptacles adapted to engage and elevate adjacent material during the upward movement thereof through said chamber.

7. In material storage and feeder apparatus a relatively deep annular bin adapted to receive and store a material therein, and a discharge elevator generally vertically disposed within said bin, said elevator providing a plurality of elements adapted to receive material from within said bin and to discharge the same after elevating it above the storage level of the bin, said elevator being supported for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis extending radially across the bin, said bin being mounted for rotational movement about its center, and in which means are provided for progressively rotating said bin in response to the swinging movement of said elevator into a predetermined position within said bin.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a standard, a cylindrical bin rotatably mounted on said standard with said standard disposed axially of said bin, means associated with said standard for depositing material relatively uniformly around the circumferential area of said bin, an elevator disposed generally vertically within said bin and being equipped with carriers extending across substantially an entire radial, vertical cross section thereof for elevating material from thereacross, and means for rotating said bin whereby its contents will be presented progressively to the carriers of said elevator.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, in which means are associated with said elevator for initiating rotation of said bin when the quantity of material being elevated decreases to a predetermined minimum.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a deep annular storage bin having a stationary standard axially disposed therein, means for depositing material relatively uniformly around the interior of said bin, means for rotating said bin, and elevating means disposed within said bin and extending across and down from the outer to the inner wall of said annular bin for elevating material from thereacross.

11. In apparatus of the character described, a bin providing a relatively deep storage chamber therein, spreader means for depositing material relatively uniformly around said chamber, and a discharge elevator within said chamber and equipped with carriers for lifting material upwardly from across and down over substantially a radial vertical cross section of said chamber, said bin and elevator being relatively rotatable to provide said elevator with successive bin areas having material for removal by the carriers.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said spreader means comprises a dispersing conveyor extending generally radially across said bin and having a plurality of discharge points therealong, said conveyor and said bin being rotatable relative to each other to afiord dispersion of material about the entire storage chamber.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a bin providing a relatively deep storage chamber therein, a dispersing conveyor associated with said bin and extending generally radially thereacross and having a plurality of discharge points therealong, said conveyor and said bin being rotatable relative to each other to afford dispersion of material around the entire storage chamber, an elevator disposed generally vertically within said chamber and being equipped with carriers extending across substantially a radial vertical cross section of said chamber for elevating material from thereacross, and means associated with said elevator for initiating relative movement between said bin and said elevator to provide said elevator with successive bin areas having material for removal by the carriers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,958 Inman Aug. 14, 1945 2,649,215 Dickson Aug. 18, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 22,402 Norway July 8, 1912 825,528 Germany Dec. 20, 1951 1,069,818 France Feb. 17, 1954 

